Covered metallic stents for the palliation of colovesical fistula

Abstract

Colovesical fistula is a distressing condition that is usually managed surgically. For some patients in whom surgery is not feasible, covered colonic stents offer palliation. We present two challenging cases with contrasting outcomes. The first case is a colovesical fistula secondary to malignancy with a successful outcome after stenting and the second a complex diverticular fistula with a poor outcome. From our limited experience, it is a useful technique but careful patient selection is essential to its safe application. There is little published experience of the use of these stents for colovesical fistula.